rancho la puerta - Mindful Adventures

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FAMILY
SPA
& WELLNESS
TRAVEL
Rejuvenation Vacation at
RANCHO LA PUERTA
This Baja health spa proved to be the perfect place for the author to relax, recuperate
and reinvigorate her creativity
Story and Photography By Donna Mantone-Adinolfi
When it was time for my annual
destination spa adventure, I decided to return to Rancho la Puerta, in Tecate, Mexico, about an hour southeast of San Diego. My overall fitness had recently
The new
Reflexology Path
outside the Spa at
Rancho la Puerta.
lapsed due to a back injury and the spa, founded in
1940 by Edward and Deborah Szekely, is known for
being “the original destination fitness resort and spa.”
Rancho la Puerta provides a spacious natural setting (more than 3,000 acres), hiking, fitness classes,
wellness lectures and vegetarian meals, all of which
would give me the extra push I needed to get back
on track and create the balance and inner-peace that
I often advocate.
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Although my injury would keep me from doing
some of the more intense activities, Rancho la Puerta
offers more than 50 options to accommodate guests
of varying physical levels, so I knew once I stepped
through the spa’s door—its puerta—there would still
be plenty of viable options to keep me active. I was all
set for my week to focus on physical activity, vegetarian meals, creativity and an overall Zen experience.
ACTIVITIES AND CLASSES
As a writer who sits for long stretches, movement
was required for this nearly 50-year-old body, and
that was easy as I walked nearly two miles per day
around the property getting to and from the dining
room, which was always a welcome site. The
founders of “the Ranch,” as it’s called by fellow devotees, call this “incidental fitness”—activities that you
don’t necessarily consider exercise.
In addition to my daily incidental fitness, I also
enjoyed Rancho la Puerta’s abundance of scheduled
activities, which are offered every hour, beginning
with early-morning hikes and ending with evening
lectures on topics that range from sexuality to the arts.
The new Fitness Navigator Program—which includes
a free 30-minute consultation with a fitness expert
after arrival—helps guests select the classes that will
best help them achieve their goals for the week.
As for some of my classes, Postural Therapy was
helpful as it helped with balance and coordination,
which was a challenge due to my muscle imbalance;
Release and Mobilize helped with stiffness and range
of motion. Aqua-based classes were plentiful and
quite enjoyable at the spa’s new pool. Yoga and Pilates
classes are highly regarded here as they’re progres-
sive and suited for the beginner or advanced student.
Rancho la Puerta’s schedule also includes
nutrition classes and ones focused on the
inner self, such as the popular Crystal Bowl:
Sound Healing, offered three times during
my week. Crystal bowls emit pure sound
waves that resonate throughout our body’s
tissues and organs. The vibrations affect
brain-wave activity, which can cause the
release of neurohormones that suppress
pain and produce deep relaxation.
The spa’s Writing Workshop was another
reason I chose Rancho la Puerta, and it
helped in re-engaging my creativity
through the numerous sessions we experienced during the week. There were about
15 others engaged in this event, and we discussed everything from working with a literary agent to writing a book and getting
published. All too often we get caught up
in our day-to-day tasks, and this event
helped me to reconnect to my muse, get
back on track with writing my book and
regain the confidence to move forward.
COOKING SCHOOL
The main highlight of my week, however,
was the hands-on cooking class with
Tanya Holland from Brown Sugar Kitchen
in Oakland, Calif. She was Rancho La Puerta’s
La Cocina Que Canta’s visiting teacher/chef.
Walking through the garden I couldn’t help
but wonder how I would create the same
dishes at home without the variety of fresh
ingredients hand-picked from the garden—
tomatoes from the vine burst with flavor.
Our feast of healthy and delicious creations included Spicy Popovers with Goat
Cheese and Fresh Herbs, and a simple Romaine Salad
with Cucumbers, garden-picked tomatoes and a
Chive and Cayenne Buttermilk Dressing.
The cooking school at Rancho la Puerta offers a
simple way for everyone to learn how to cook
healthy at home. Fresh and in-season ingredients
are key, and while I have a good repertoire of healthy
meal ideas, since returning from the spa, I now prepare more fresh dressings, like the buttermilk one
we had during our class, and use an expanded eclectic array of fresh home-grown herbs. (I also now
know how to properly chop chives).
ACCOMMODATIONS AND SPA TREATMENTS
There are several room options available at Rancho
la Puerta including the Ranchera, which is about 470
square feet and can accommodate one or two guests.
Several are set aside in a cluster for women travel11.1 MAR / TRAVELWORLD INTERNATIONAL
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SPA & WELLNESS
CLOCKWISE, FROM
FAR LEFT:
Organic just-picked
ingredients were used
for our colorful
farm to table La
Cocina que Canta
experience.
Many paths lead to
fitness and healthy
living activities.
A favorite of many
Rancho la Puerta
devotees—vegetarian
enchiladas.
IF YOU GO
Rancho la Puerta
Tecate, Mexico
800-443-7565
www.rancholapuerta.com
San Diego is the closest airport. Transfers are
provided for the Saturday to Saturday stay.
ing alone. I was in a Hacienda during my week,
which is the second-tier of accommodations and
larger than the Ranchera. It had a sizeable patio area,
fireplace and large sitting area.
The Junior Villas and Villa Studios are set farther
back and measure about 900 square feet; the Villa
Suite is the largest on property at 1,140 square feet.
Each space is uniquely decorated with Mexican folkart and includes amenities expected from a contemporary upscale property. All rooms also have
reverse-osmosis-filtered drinking water.
Spa services at Rancho la Puerta are typically a la
carte (except for the summer when the spa often
offers a package of services called the Piñata Plan),
however they’re much more affordable compared to
other spas as most start at $80 for a 50-minute session
and $140 to $150 for a 90-minute session.
I opted for a Relaxation Massage, which was just
what I needed after a day filled with workouts and
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long walks. A basic Swedish massage, it was deep
enough to help relieve the soreness I was feeling and
helped me unwind—great just before bedtime! If
you’re looking for something even more relaxing, the
Four-Hand Massage, utilizing two therapists, is pure
bliss, and at $150, is a great value.
Even after 70 years, the Ranch has stayed true to its’
core, drawing people for varying reasons, all of which
have meaning: Some come for fitness, some for nutrition and others for healing. And then there’s nearby
Mount Kuchumaa, which Native Americans consider
a sacred place. And it is a sacred place. After my week
at Rancho la Puerto, I was inspired and transformed.
Donna Mantone-Adinolfi is a travel, spa and wellness
writer/columnist, freelance writer and blogger. She focuses
on travel, spas, personal development and wellness, and is
the founder of Mindful Adventures. She can be reached at
[email protected].